Slider for separable fasteners



555555555 l -Wm- WITNESS ,5 WPW \wiii R. C. LEGAT SLIDER FOR S EPARABLE FASTENERS Filed Nov. 6,1943 7 IN V EN FOR. RoazleraLzalr a? ATTORNEYS fPat'ented June 3, 1947 PATENT" osrics isnronn ron SEPARABLE FASTENERS Robert C. Leia ,New Britain, Conn, assignor to v I The G. E. Prentice Mfg. 00., Kensington, Conn, a corporation ofConnecticut Application November 6, 1943, Serial No. 509,173

1 1 This invention relates to improvements in slid- Claims.

er fasteners'and more particularlyto improvementsinthe sliders for operating such fasteners. In the use of separable fasteners of the'slide operated type, one of the .most prevalent causes of dissatisfaction is the catching of garment material or the contents of containers in the sliders when they are moved to 'closed position. This is a' common .occurrence where the fasteners are incorporated in womens garments or other articles having a thin or soft material adjacent to or overlying the path of the slider. In the case of containers, such as bill folds which are provided with slide'fasteners, it often happens that the contents thereof, such as paper money, become caught in the slider. This objectionable feature of the slide fastener is believed to be due to the fact that the mating or interlocking elements thereof, are usually of a form that they readily catch on to soft or thin material and act in the nature of teeth to draw thematerial into the slider where it catches, with the result that the slider then cannot be moved in either the closing or opening direction and the material caught in the slider is either injured or destroyed. For a long time, this has been a serious problem in the industry and in an effort to solve it, the industry devised many methods and constructions, the

most common of theseimprovements being in the nature of plows or shields, which were attached to or formed part of the sliders, and were intended to push the material or object away or to shield the sliders from coming. into contact with the object or such material. None of these improvements proved successful or practical and in some cases, they merely aggravated the trouble.

It is the principal purpose of this invention, tov

provide a novel and improved slider construction, which will reduceto a minimum, the possibility of material being caught therein.

Another object of the invention, is to provide a slide construction which is of pleasing design and appearance and which admirably lends itself for use in flimsy garments or other articles where a simply constructed, exceedingly small and light weight, but effective, slider is especially desirable.

Other objects of the invention as well as the novel features of construction, will be in part obvious and in part pointed out in connection with the following description of this invention and the annexed drawing in which Fig. 1 is a front plan view of a portion of a slide fastener having a slider made in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but shows the slider in longitudinal cross sectionto illustrate more clearly, its interior constructionand operation; Fig. 3 is a front plan view of a portion of an article and attached fastener, illustrating the manner in which the slider functions to prevent 5 the catching of garment material; Fig. 4 is a rear plan view of the slider and Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the slider. 1

In the drawings, the numerals l and II indicate the flexible stringer tapes usually employed 1 to support the conventional fastener elements I2 and I3 arranged in rows along the opposed edges of such stringers. The stringers Ill and II, as is usual, are secured along the edges of an opening in a garment or other article so that the elements project beyond the edges of the material and may be covered by the garment material *so that when the opening is closed, the fastener structure is substantially concealed from the view of an observer, as is illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings by the garment portions l4 and li whichdefine the opening to which the fastener is attached. As is well known, the fastener elements are adapted to be interlocked and disengaged by a slider, generally designated I 6, which when manually moved through the pull tab or finger piece I! in one direction, generally upwardly, progressively moves the elements into interlocking engagement and when moved in the opposite direc-' tion, progressively disengages the elements to open the fastener.

The slider It includes a front plate which is generally designated by the numeral I8 in Fig. 1 of the drawings and which is connected by an integral transverse neck member IQ of reduced di- 5 mensions to the backplate of the slider, the latter of which is generally designated-20 in Fig. 2

of the drawings. Adjacent to the neck member IQ of the slider, is a transverse member or rivet .21 which extends through aligned apertures 21 0 and 28 (see Fig. 5) in the front and back plates l8 and 2!), respectively, the forward or upper end of member 2| being formed to provide a longitudinally extending lug or pull retaining loop 22 and the inner end 29 of such member being upset 1 against the under or exterior surface of the back or rear plate 20 to permanently secure the member 2| in position. Intermediate the plates [8 and 20, the rivet or transverse member 2| is wedged or triangularly shaped,'the base of such triangular portion, which is adjacent to the interior surface of the neck member l9 being of substantially the same width as such member l9, and the apex of such member 2| being positioned down in the slider and terminating at a place in the region of the upper end of the recess 30 23, 23', each include a portion of the plate and j two marginal .or side flanges, the flanges 24 and 25 of the portion 23 extending in opposed relation to similar flanges 24', 25' provided on the other portion 23". It will be noted that theside flanges 24, 25 and 24', 25 0f the plate portions 23 and 23', respectively, are straight and in parallelism as is shown more clearly in Fig. 2 of the drawing. During this movement of the slider, the

flares or lips provided on the upper ends of the flanges 24, 24', 25 and 25 facilitate the entry of the intcrflngered elements into the. channel formed by such flanges. When the slider is moved in the opening direction, the interlocked fastener elements passing from the channel formed by the flanges 24, 24', 25 and 23' are partially disengaged in the region between the upper ends of such flanges and the apex of the rivet 2| by the spreading action of the rivet on preceding elements and then are completely separated at such apex to pass out of the slider on either side of the rivet. It will now be observed that if, during the operation of the slider in the-closing direction,

for substantially their entire lengths, but at their upper ends flare outwardly slightly, the conformation of the flanges being such that except for there is any tendency of the material on the article on which the slider is mounted, or its lining. or

' its contents, such as, in the case of paper money such small flares or lips 3|, 32, 3| and 32', the

slider throughout its entire length has substantially the same width. The upper flared ends or lips 3|, 32, 3| and 32' of the flanges 24, 25, 24' and respectively, are spaced a substantial distance below the apex of the rivet 2| and intermediate the ends of the recess formed on the under side of the retaining loop 22, the upper ends ofsuch flanges being preferably spaced from the apex of the rivet 2| a distance approximately from one-quarter to one-third the longitudinal length of the slider.

The upper portions 26, 26' of the front and back plates i8 and 20, respectively, which extend from the upper ends of the flanges 24, 24", 25 and 25 to the transverse neck portion I9 and between which the rivet 2| is wholly contained, are greater in length than the lower plate portions 23, 23' and aresubstantially flat throughout their entire areas, being not provided with side or marginal flanges as are the lower plate portions 23, 23'. The widths of the upper plate portions 26, 26' are such that there are provided on each side of the rivet or wedge member 2|, throughout the entire length of the latter and for a substantial distance below such member, two flat relatively narrow guiding portions 33, 33' and 34, 34' between which the outer locking ends of the fastener elements pass and which conflne the fastener elements in a front and rear direction in their movements through the slider. I

It will be noted from the foregoing, that any holding or confining action on 'the fastener elements in a side-=wise direction by the slider, takes place wholly in the lower end of the slider through the marginal flanges 24:24, 25 and 25, the usual Y-shaped guiding channel of the customary slider being dispensed with. :In the region of the slider defined by such flanges, the fastener elements l2 and I3 are in interlocked or inter-engaged condition and from the upper ends of the flanges 24,

' 24', 25 and 25' to the spaced apex of the rivet or wedge 2 the fastener elements are in a partially separated condition and thence pass on either side of the wedge 2| out of the slider. when the slider is moved in the closing direction, generally upwardly relative to the fastener elements, theflat side edges 33, 33', 34 and 34' of the upper plate portions 28, 26' projecting beyond the side edges of thewedge 2| arrange the fastener elements passing into the top of the slider into proper aligned relation for interlocking,'the fastener elements meeting in proper relation for such interlocking action between the apex of the rivet 2| and the tops of the flanges 24, 24' 25 and 25' which has been improperly placed in'a bill fold, to pass into the slider, such material or contents will be engaged by the wedge or rivet 2| and caused to be discharged through the open sides 35, 33, of the slider'before reaching the flanges 24, 24', 25 and 25', this action being assured by reason of the relatively narrow flat side edge portions 33, 33', 34, 34' of the plates in the region of the rivet, which give the caught material no opportunity to become so jammed in the slider that it is rendered useless. This result is believed to be accomplished-by reason of the fact that the rivet itselfat the top of the slider functions as the principal guide for the stringers when the slider is moved in the closing direction. In those rare cases where such material might become caught, a slight push of the slider in the opening direction would cause the caught material to be readily disengaged. In those article constructions employing covering material for the fastener elements, the danger ofthe covering material being caught in the slider is further remote by reason of the form of the pull tab and its position relative to the apex of the rivet and the upper ends of the flanges. As has been explained, the upper end of the recess 30 in the loop 22 for the pull tab I1 is in advance of the flanges 24, 24', 25 and 25' and preferably adlacently below the apex of rivet 2|. Furthermore, the lower portion of the pull tab which in operating the slider is maintained by the loop 22 in close proximity to the exterior surface of front plate l3 (note Fig. 5) is substantially as wide as the width of the slider (note Figs. 1 and 4). Thus, when the pull tab is actuated to operate the slider, the material overlying the fastener elements is caused to flow around the outer sides of the pull tab H by the latter, as is illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, thus drawing the material away from the locking portions of the elements entering the slider and preventing any tendency to such elements to drag the material into the interior of the slider.

As a result of this construction, applicant has also found that due to the fact that the rivet is the principal guiding means at the top of the slider and that relatively small resistance is offered tothe passage of the elements therethrough is increased and the applicant has found that the slider functions very freely and easily in those applications where the material of the article is line, but make sharp turns on the article; it has been found that as the slider is only provided upper half of the slider, the lower halves of said front and rear plates each having a pair of longitudinally extending marginal side flanges which with short flange members on the .lower end thereof, its operation is much easier than the slider of usual construction onsuch articles and there is no sticking or binding of the slider on the turns of the stringers. This advantage of the slider'makes its use especially advantageous on bill folds, cigarette cases, brief cases, etc.

While I have illustrated in the drawings and described in the foregoing description, a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art, that various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope ofthefollowing claims.

I claim:

1. A slider for slide fasteners comprising front and rear plates and an internal substantially wedge-shaped separating means positioned in the upper half of the slider, the 'lowerhalves of said front and rear plates each'having a pair of longitudinally extending 'marginal side flanges whose upper ends flare outwardly to provide short guiding lips and terminate in the lower half of the slider below the center of the longitudinal length of the slider at points spaced below the apex of said wedge-shaped separating means, the portions of such plates above such flanges having substantially the same widths as the portions of said plates below the upper flared ends of said flanges and being substantially flat so that in the upper half of the slider, the side edges of such plate portions extend substantially longitudinally of the slider and the sides of" the slider are en tirely open.

2. A slider for slide fasteners comprising front and rear plates having substantially the same width throughout their lengths and being connected at their upper ends by a transverse neck ing adjacent to the interior surface of such neck member and being of substantially the same width as such member, the lower halves of said front and rear plates each having'a pair of straight,

1 are straight andin substantial parallelism for the major portion of their lengths, the upper end portions of eachof said side flanges flaring o'utwardly at an angle to the straight portion thereof to provide a short guiding lip and terminating in the lower-half of the slider below the center of the longitudinal length of the slider at a point spaced belowthe apex of saidiwedge-shaped sep arating means, the portions of such plates above such flanges having substantially the same width as the portions of said plates'in the region de-- flned by the straight'parallelly arranged portions of said flanges so that the side edges thereof extend substantially longitudinally of the slider and in substantial alignment with said flanges, and said upper plate portions-being substantially flat so that in the region of said separating means, the sides of the slider are entirely open.

4. A slider for slide fasteners comprising front and rear plates having substantially the same i widths throughout their entire lengths and being longitudinally extending marginal side'flanges whose upper ends flare outwardly to provide short guiding lips, said flanges extending from the lower ends of said plates and terminating at points in the lower half of the slider below the center of the longitudinal length of the slider and spaced below the apex of said wedge-shaped separating means, the portions of such plates above said flanges being substantially flat and formed so that in the upper half of the slider the sides of the slider are entirely open and the side edges of such plate portions extend substantially longitudinally of the slider, the width of such plate portions throughout their lengths being substantially greater than that of said neck member so that the side edge the upper half of said slider for the outer, inter-' locking ends of the fastener elements fastener.

3. A slider for slide fasteners comprising front in a slide and rear plates and an internal substantiallywedge-shaped separating means positioned in the connected at their upper ends by an integral, transverse neck member, an internal substantially wedge-shaped separating means positioned in the upper half of the slider, the base of said separating means engaging the interior surfacew' of such neck member and being of substantially the same width as such neck member, the lowerhalves of said front and rear plates each having a pair of longitudinally extending marginal side flanges which are straight and extend in substantial parallelism for the major portion of their lengths a d at their'upper ends, flare outwardly in opposite directions at an angle to the straight portions thereof to provide sho'rt guiding lips for the interlocking elements of the fastener, the upper ends of said side flanges terminating at points in the lower half of the slider below the center of the longitudinal length of the slider and spaced below the apex of said wedge-shaped separating means, the portions of said plates above such flanges being substantially flat and formed so that in the upper half of the slider, the sides of the slider are entirely openandth'e side-edges of such plate portions extend substantially longitudinallv of the slider, the width of such plate portions throughout their lengths being substantially greater than that of said neck member so that the side edge portions thereof project beyond the side edges of the separating means a sufficient distance to provide guiding surfaces along the entire length of the upper half of said slider for the outer interlocking ends of the fastener elements in a slide fastener, the side edges of the upper portions of said plates extending in substantially straight lines from points spaced outwardly of the base of said separating means to the upper flared ends of said side flanges.

' 5. A slider for slide fasteners comprising front and rear plates connected at their upper ends by i a transverse neck member and an internal subhalves of said front and rear plates each having a pair of longitudinally extending marginal side flanges which are straight and in substantial parallelism for the major portion of their lengths, the upper portions of said plates above said flanges being substantially flat and each having a substantially convexly-shaped outer edge which is somewhat flattened. at its top central portion and whose lower ends extend substantial- I ly longitudinally, downwardly and outwardly from such central portion to points positioned'in the lower half of ,the sliderbelow the centerof the lohgitudinal length of the slider and from. the central longitudinal axis of the slider a distance greater than the distance of said straight flange portions from such axis, the top central portions ,of said upper plate portions having a width greater than the width of said transverse neck member and separating means so that the side edges of said upper plate portions project outwardly beyond such members to provide guiding surfaces for fastener elements along the entire length of the upper half of the slider. and short flange portions at the upper ends of saldside flanges and extending outwardly from the upper ends of said straight flange portions to said pointsto provide guides for the interlocking elements of a slider.

6. A slider for slider fasteners comprising front and rear plates and an internal substantially' wedge-shaped separating means positioned in the upper half of the slider, the lower halves of said front and rear plates each having a pair' of straight, longitudinally extending marginal side flanges whose upper ends flare outwardly to provide short guiding lips, the lengths of said side flanges being less than one-half the longitudinal length of the slider so that they terminate below the center of the longitudinal length of the slider and upper ends of such flanges being spaced from the apex of said separating means a distance approximately from one-quarter to one-third the longitudinal length of the slider, the portions of such plates above such flanges having substantially the same width as the portions of said plates below the upper flared ends of said flanges and being substantially flat so that in the upper half such neck member and being of substantially the same width as such member, the lower halves of said front and rear plates each having a pair of straight longitudinally extending marginal side flanges whose upper ends flare outwardly to provide short guiding lips, said flanges extending from the lower ends of said plates and terminating at points in the lower half of the slider below the center of the longitudinal length of the slider and spaced below the apex of said wedge-shaped separating means, the portions of such plates above said flanges being substantially flat and formed so that in the upper half of the slider the sides of the slider are entirely open and the side edges of such plate portions extend substantially longitudinally of the slider, the width of such plate portions throughout their length being substantially greater than said neck member so that the side edge portions thereof project beyond the side edges of the separating means for the entire length of the upper half of the slider, a pull-retaining loop integrally formed with said separating means and extending over the outer surface of said front plate so as to provide a pull tab opening extending from-above the upper ends of said side flanges to a point intermediate their ends, and a pull tab longitudinally movable of the slider, the side edges of such plate portions extend substantially longitudinally of the slider and the sides of the slider are entirely open.

'7. A-slider for slide fasteners comprising front and rear plates having substantially the same on said loop and having a width adjacent to the outer surface of said front plate approximately equal to the width of such plate in the region of the upper end of the opening in said loop.

ROBERT C. LEGAT'.

nsssnsucss crrnn The following references are of record in Lohse Oct. 26, 1943 

